Summer 2018

Accessory Necessities By Sam Ujvary

For ardent fans of nature, science and everything animals, finding something that’s delicate yet sophisticated is becoming much more common. Animal-themed jewelry pieces are now for more than just tweens. When you look at the vast differences in each category — they range from surf-and-sand-loving pieces from ZAD, to chemistry-savvy pieces from Sorcery Science — you realize when it comes to educational pieces you can offer in your shop, the limit does not exist. And while each individual venue carries products specific to its own establishment, it’s not a bad idea to carry pieces from other realms of the educational world as well.

“Our jewelry is inspired by science and nature,” said Carrie Parker with Pittsburgh-based Sorcery Science. “We have several lines based on science … fragrance jewelry shaped like the molecular structure of popular tastes and smells and infused with the fragrance oil/essential oil so they smell like their compound, molecular structure jewelry that is shaped like the elemental composition, (and more).” Customers simply adore gift items that have special meaning, and Sorcery Science takes that to the next level with its pieces.

Dainty pieces like earrings from Mud Pie, Lucky Feather, ZAD and Alora Boutique are great staple items for day-to-day wear, and then there are companies like Moonglow, which recreates actual moon phases for its necklaces from any date of your choosing. This is yet another way personalization has become much craftier as of lately.

In a more generalized-yet-unique sense, The Blessing Flower came to the market at a great time. Its staple item is the flower. Real flowers from the Desert of Judea in Israel, it has the unique, amazing ability to bloom on demand, again and again, for decades. With just a few drops of water, The Blessing Flower fully blooms within minutes and stays open for an hour.

In addition to just being trendy pieces for teenagers, adults will adore jewelry that features their favorite creature or creation and are unique compared to other pieces they own, and feel like an extension of their own personality. Jewelry pieces inspired by nature, science and animals are an ideal fit for so many gift shops no matter the size, because unique jewelry that matches or complements an already-established collection allows people to support their favorite boutiques. Unique jewelry is a more personal and interesting gift. Every piece of jewelry tells a story; let it be an extension of your establishment, and let it tell stories for years to come.

Sam Ujvary

Sam is the managing editor of Gift Shop Pets, Museums & More and Party & Halloween Retailer, and is a contributing editor for Gift Shop Magazine. She has a copywriting background and has been in publishing for six years.